Bank protective system and means



Dec. 20, 1932. P. R. DRURY BANK PROTECTIVE SYSTEM AND MEANS awe/144 M I P130210 Fil ed Jan. 29, 1931 r R T Patented Dec. 20, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFicE PERCY R. DRURY, OF BOYCE, VIRGINIA BANK PROTECTIVE SYSTEM AND MEANS Application filed January 29, 1931.

means for trapping the perpetrators, and for giving an alarm indication to police.

In the drawing, the single figure is an interior elevation of a typical bank, with the electrically actuated devices employed and their operating circuits schematically shown.

The interior elevation as shown is broadly illustrative of the application of the system to windows, doors, lights, etc. The draw'ng discloses one only of such structures, in compliance with statute but it is intended that the invention is applicable to local installation requirements embracing any number of doors, windows, etc.

A system arranged in accordance with the invention is shown as applied to a bank having a tellers compartment 10 provided with a number of the usual cage windows 11 at one side of the room. Access to the room is through a main doorway 12, closed by a door 13. A window 14 admits light and air, and a ce ling lighting fixture 15 exemplifies the electrical lighting means with which the room is provided.

18 and 17 indicate the wires of the bank main lighting circuit, leading from the usual supply lines, not shown. The ma n lighting circuit includes the light fixture 15, and the entire main lighting system is controlled by a magnetic circuit breaker 18, which is normally closed.

Inconspicuously arranged over the tellers cages 11 are electric l ghts 19 of rather intense brilliancy. These lights are disposed, by reflectors or any suitable means to throw Serial No. 512,142.

a glaring light forwardly of the tellers cages and concentrating about the doorway 12.

Light through the window 14 may be cut ofi by quick acting shutter or curtain means 20 disposed adjacent thereto, and operated 557 by electrical actuator means 21. Similar shutter or curtain means 22 is provided at the doorway 1'2, operated by an electrical actuator 23. In addition to these devices means is provided to cut off exit from the bank, such 7 asa drop door panel 24 operated by an electr cal actuator 25, which is arranged in any suitable manner to block exit from the bank through the doorway 12.

A current supply source 26, which is preferably independent of the main lighting circuit, provides current for operating the lights 19 and the electrical actuators 21, 23 and 25. A wire '27 leads from the supply source 26 through a normally open circuit closer 28,

such as a push button or trip wire, located within easy reach of persons in the tellers compartment 10 so as to be instantly accessible. From the circuit closer a wire 29 forms a common lead for circuit wires 30 and 31 to the electrical actuators 21,23 and 25 from whence return conductors 32 and 33 connect with a return wire 34 to the supply source 26. Conductors 35 and 36 in connection with the wires 34 and 29 establish a parallel circuit therewith for the lights 19.

The field coil 37 of the magnetic circuit breaker 18 is disposed in a circuit in parallel with the wires 34 and 29 by conductors 38 and 39 connected therewith. An extraneous alarm circuit, such as to a police station, has leads 40 and 41 in connection with the wires 34 and 29.

In service the master circuit controlled from the circuit closer 28 is normally open. l/Vhen the perpetrator of a holdup is discovered a teller can unostentatiously operate the push button 28, energizing the master circuit from the supply source 26 and instantly dropping the trapping panel 24 and shutter means 20 l and 22. At the same instant the main lights at 15 are extinguished throwing the room into darkness save for the area in front of the tell ers compartment and about the doorway 12,

which area is illuminated by the relatively intense proj cctor lights 19 adjacent the cages 11. Also, through the leads 40 and 41 an alarm may be given at police headquarters.

The efiect of the lighting arrangement thus produced will be to render the bank personnel in the tellers compartment invisible to the perpetrators, While the perpetrators themselves Will be fully exposed in the glare of the projector lights 19 and their escape will be cut by the trapping means 24.

I claim:

1. The method of frustrating robbery in the interior of a building through rendering victims invisible to perpetrators which consists in projecting a dazzling light into the face of a perpetrator from a portion of the interior and simultaneously darkening the ingerior on the occurrence of an attempt at robery.

2. Robbery frustrating means for building interiors, comprising means for plung ing the major portion of the interior into darkness on an attempt at robbery, and means simultaneously operable therewith for projecting light onto the portion of the interior occupied by perpetrators of the attempt.

3. Robbery frustrating means for building interiors, comprising means for projecting a dazzling light into the face of a perpetrator, and means inaccessible to a perpetrator for actuating said light projecting means.

4. A system for protecting banks against hold-ups comprising a main lighting circuit, a master circuit, a current supply source therefor, electrically actuated means at Windows and doors for cutting 011 light therethrough, circuits including said 'means and branching from said master circuit, a circuit closer for said master circuit, means operable by the closing of said master circuit to break the main lighting circuit, fixed light projecting means, and an operating circuit for said light projecting means derived from said master circuit and energized on the closing thereof.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

PERCY R. DRURY. 

